Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Many people here in the UAE have never heard of Endless. This is a very good read about what Endless makes, and how they are different.

Personally, I'm well-convinced that they make really good brake systems and coilovers, though I have only been able to afford the coilovers (Function-X, not the Function-R) and not the big brake kit for the Evo :(

Note: Power delivery is strong from 3500 rpm all the way through 6500 rpm. More output is achieveable through the use of the JDM MR DV in place of the HKS SSQV, and conversion to a full 3" free-flowing turboback exhaust system.

Friday, September 21, 2007

1. Without changing the oem IC, will just changing the pipes suffice to bring about better and larger air flow, and hence cooler charged air?

2. How much hp can the oem IC suport WITH oem pipes support?

3. How much hp can larger diameter aftermarket hard pipes support?

Point to note: I noticed the MME E9 by ST Powered uses the oem IC.

Answers

evolvix :I guess the answer depends on which hardpipe kit you are looking at. Most aftermarket kits probably come with a bigger ID but the important thing to look out for is whether they come with less bends as well. From what I know, every single 45 degree bend slows down the air velocity significantly thus increasing lag and probably causing a pressure drop as well. Of course, bends that are greater than 45 degree are worse. In this respect, I think aftermarket kits help in maintaining boost pressure and reduces lag. As for enhanced cooling, I can't be sure but I will guess no.

To accomodate the straighter and bigger pipings, some kits require you to either relocate your stock battery or to use a smaller one. Personally, I will want a kit that has the shortest hence straightest pipings and one that's > 2.25" in diameter. I think its realistic to expect a power gain with these kits over the stock pipings simply because the stock pipings suck! Especially the stock lower piping between the compressor housing to the FMIC inlet. Picking up 'lost' boost pressure caused by the restrictive stock pipings should give you power liao!

As for the capability of the stock FMIC, I think there have been enough tests, even local ones, to prove there's substantial power gains to be had just by swapping it out for a more efficient unit EVEN on a stock Evo. Workshops can use what they want but no one can defy physics. Even assuming (optimistically) that the stock FMIC has a core that's as efficient as aftermarket ones, a bigger surface area will simply dissipate heat faster given the same amount of incoming airflow and the greater thermal mass will simply absorb more heat before being saturated. Look around, I'm sure you can find hard data and numbers locally.

Ideally, you should upgrade to a more efficient FMIC to lower your charge temp and use water injection to do in-cylinder cooling and detonation control. Remember though that a bigger FMIC works all the time while water injection requires constant monitoring, refilling and the jet size + spraying cycle really need to be tuned else you might lose power through the injection of too much water into your combustion chambers. Water injection systems can be unreliable too...pump failures, clogging of water lines, running out of water etc can cause damage to your engine if water injection is a critical part of your tune. Also, rem that although the in-cylinder cooling will bring about an increased density in air, the water molecules present in each intake charge (especially if you spray too much water or too often) will reduce its density too. In the end, you might face a compromised situation. Some says that the steam created in the chambers can also help in decarbonizing the engine but I can't be sure.

Personally, I will be setting up a 50-50 water/methanol injection system on my E9 soon. There's real benefits to using methanol so long as you are able to tune for it, and that the system is highly reliable and safe with all the monitoring measures and controls in place. I will not use 100% water because to me, there's too much hassle involved for too little gains. I guess as long as you understand what you are doing and know how to setup these systems, all should work as they are designed to. They are seldom mutually exclusive so I guess you can use all of them to bring about a greater effect to what you endeavour to achieve.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

guys, what's the difference between:1. slapping a HUGE turbo onto a stock engine2. stroking up the engine to 2.4L and using a stock turbo.

Response by a senior member with a very good understanding of tuning principles:

Area under the curve.

You NEVER look at just peak figures. You want to know what's the percentage of peak torque available throughout the rev range.

A small turbo with large engine will give you peak boost from a lower rev and sustain that through a pretty large rev range. Think GTR 2008 or 997 Turbo engine for instance. Peak torque from <2000rpm style="font-weight: bold;">heating and reliability

both have shares of issue in terms of reliability. Basically once you modify, be prepared to reduce yr service interval periods

Depending on who builds yr stroked up engine, you may have reliability issues.

Big turbos will need a lot more upgrades to cooling as well.

torque curve (one is better at low end and the other at higher end?)See earlier paragraph

fuel consumptionAs usual it depends on how you drive. If you need to hit the high torque range all the time, the stroked up engine is probably better since you get it at lower revs. If you are a more disciplined driver, and can drive the car offboost, the larger turbo is better for FC.

As usual, I find it silly to discuss FC when you are concerned with power.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Many Team Fruity members know that we recommend the GReddy Profec B Spec-II electronic boost controller because it is not only good value for money, but also holds and controls boost well. However, most people have no idea how to tune this boost controller, and the user guides are usually in Japanese. We were fortunate enough to have come across this article in the EvolutionM forums and we found this to be accurate and useful information for Evo owners running this boost controller.

Tuning the Profec B spec II

I was looking around online and found that there are still questions about dialing in the Greddy Profec B spec II even with the great write up we already have on this website. So I thought I would post up my findings in how I understand things in an effort to make things a bit simpler for those that still have questions or want a quick reference guide.

Here is a basic chart type setup to aid in figuring things out (I personally chose to use PSI instead of KPa.)

Turn off the unit to set it to PSI, then turn the unit back on and turn PEAK BOOST to "on".

Set the WARNING to one above desired boost, and the LIMITER to 1% (or whatever you want).

Start to increase the GAIN first to minimize or remove the taper. In most cases you will not be able to completely eliminate the taper. Increase gain in small increments until boost is held pretty much to redline. If boost spike/surge occurs – go back down in value until it subsides (at this point you’re done with the GAIN).

Adjust for the SET value next—simply by adjusting the percentage until you reach your desired boost levels. In my case that was 22 psi.

Set the SET GAIN value last—the reason for this is because you want to get it as close to the SET value as possible to maximize spool up. Once you hit a boost spike or surge—lower it down till it subsides.

The Mitsubishi description also says that the ACD operates in a free state when rapid steering movements are made and when the hand brake is used. This means in those conditions that the drive must be going all to the front wheels.

Here is some info I got from BTR preparations who have tested and recorded what the ACD is doing. Their website also has some useful info on the ACD.

With the original ECU the mapping is fairly tame.....but having said that there will be a noticeable effect to the handling and traction when selecting between the tarmac or gravel/snow options. I would be surprised if much difference will be felt between snow and gravel on a wet tarmac road with road tyres as these 2 maps are broadly similar.

Based on the rally car, the car works better in the gravel mode on wet asphalt conditions than on the tarmac map. This is only relevant when driving the car at a speed where the car is generating wheel speed erroracross the axles (sliding or on slippery surfaces with large throttle openings)

The biggest advantage for the average road driver is the traction out of corners on a wet road, which will be better in gravel mode. On a trailing throttle there is unlikely to be a difference as the diff pressure reduceswith low throttle openings.

For normal dry road use the asphalt map is the one to use as it locks the diff under braking to a larger extent than the snow/gravel maps - reducing the braking distances by aggregating the braking force through thetransmission - a trick the earlier Evos cannot match!

FROM BTR WEB SITE

How does the Active Centre Differential system work?

Mitsubishi ACD - “active centre differential system” ACD is the new major technical feature that distinguishes the previous Evo 4-6 models from the new Evo 7 ACD is an extension of the technology used in for the anti yaw control systems (AYC) employed in various previous Mitsubishi models in the rear axle position.

The ACD system comprises an electric motor, driving an oil pump which pressures an oil reservoir to a peak 16-bar pressure. This reserve of “SYSTEM PRESSURE” is fed to the piston of the ACD plate pack via a modulation (proportion) valve. The modulation valve is software controlled by the “ACD ECU (electronic control unit).

The control inputs for the ACD electronic control unit are4 wheel speedsG force both lateral and longitudinalThrottle position – a variable valueBraking state - on or offSteering angle – neutral position (straight ahead) and off centre position provided by 3 optical inputs generated by rotation of the steering wheel.Handbrake state – on or offSystem pressure – Hydraulic pressure stateMode switch state – to select Gravel, Snow or Asphalt software strategy (maps)

We fitted a Motorsport logging system to the E7 RS test car during our 90 mile shakedown run of the new car (in the well knownYorkshire Forest complex) prior to the Network Q Rally GB. The test data from the ACD system has provided a full understanding of how the system functions and it’s efficiency.

The “Gravel” and “Snow” software strategies are similar; Gravel has the highest ultimate locking value of the two. In “Asphalt” mode a unique software strategy is employed

The system is technically far superior to the preceding Evo models VC centre differential systems. The centre differential performing well and able to limit front to rear axle “slip” on full throttle to a mean of around 0.6% on a slippery gravel surface. To put this in perspective, a good condition VC unit on a Evo 4,5 or 6 would struggle to be better than 30% aggregate slip value, which is traction going out of the window.Pressure can be introduced and lost within the ACD system at speeds surprisingly close to WRC car standards, which has allowed Mitsubishi engineers to use a complex and sophisticated software control strategy.

Which ACD electronic control unit should I use?

The production Evo 7 comes fitted with a relatively “soft” control code within the production electronic control unit. This means the potential of the ACD system is not fully realised without fitting an electronic control unit.

The RA553681K1 has a much improved software strategy aimed primarily for high performance road use, which works the ACD system more effectively than standard. We can recommended this unit for track day and fast road applications.

The RA553681K2 has a software strategy which is very specifically for Motor Sport use, which works the ACD system more effectively and harder than standard and may have negative life and warranty implications for the mechanical parts in the ACD system. This should not be used on a road car. The FIA have been asked to clarify the legality of using this unit in Motor Sport events and for the moment the unit should be treated and is listed in the parts system as a non-GpN legal part

R-4 Full Race CompoundDesigned specifically for heavy-duty motorsports. The carbon based semi-metallic R-4 materials allow the pad to absorb tremendous amounts of heat and dissipate it at very even rate. Carbon Kevlar material warms up to race temperature quickly, which is quite helpful during restarts, and when track time is limited. When used with cast iron and steel alloy rotors, the R-4 compound requires minimal bed-in period. Throughout the entire heat range, the carbon kevlar material will give extremely consistent modulation and predictably. This is truly the most rotor friendly racing brake pad material ever. Good for road courses, oval track, rally, vintage racing, autocross, club events or professional racing events.

R4-E Endurance Race CompoundA carbon kevlar compound made to last a bit longer than the original R-4 compound. The R4-E compound is designed to endure higher prolonged temperature and still has pad life as long or longer than Porterfield R-4 do. This pad is great for club enduro events and applications where temperatures are at their maximum.

R4-1 Vintage Full Race CompoundDeveloped using knowledge testing in the vintage racing community. Optimum uses for the R4-1, under conditions where very high friction is needed with minimal warm up time and in applications where there is difficulty in maintaining sufficient heat with conventional race pad compounds. Widely used on vintage GT and formula cars the R4-1 is also gaining popularity in off-road and rally-cross classes. Great modulation, consistent pedal feedback and rotor friendly at all temperatures as with all the other Porterfield Carbon Kevlar compounds.

R4-S High Performance Street and AutocrossFor high performance and heavy-duty street conditions. Perfect for prolonged everyday street use while also being capable of tolerating the most severe street use without any fade. Rotor friendly of course. The R4-S friction level will give you an impressive increase in stopping ability with very minimum pedal effort. R4-S compound has the absolute lowest noise and dust levels, far below OEM equipment or any other high performance brake material. Good for autocrossing, some drivers schools, solo events, and rally’s. The R4-S compound is available for virtually any vehicle sold in the US. We also offer the R4-S in pad sizes for competition type calipers that are used under street driven conditions.

ST41 – The best high energy input racing material available. Maintains high mu level at extremely high temperatures without sacrificing good wear – both pad and rotor. Needs some heat to work well.

ST42 – Lower mu than ST 41 and ST 43. Extremely stable average and in stop output over a wide temperature range. Has been very successful when used on the rear in conjunction with 41 on the front. Best high-temperature wear of all out materials.

ST43 – Friction level and wear rate between ST41 and ST42. Stability is not quite as good as 42 but better than 41. Should be an excellent open wheel formula. ST38 – Slightly lower mu than ST42. Wear still not as good as ST41. Good Performance over broad temperature range with minimal rotor wear. Successful in a broad range of racing series.

HT-15 (R) – Very high torque with a smooth initial bite. Excellent linear torque to applied pressure relationship. Designed for cars with extremely high deceleration rates and limited down force. Temp Range 300F-1600F.

HT-14 (V) – Very high torque with aggressive initial bite. Excellent modulation and release characteristics. Designed for cars with extremely high deceleration rates and down force. Supercedes HT-12 material. Temp Range 300F-1600F.

HP Plus (N) – HP Plus can take the heat at the track and get you home safely without having to change your brake pads in and out. This compound was designed for the serious street and autocross enthusiast. Warning! Due to the dramatic friction levels produces by this product to achieve “Race Level” braking, rotor wear, noise, dust and pad life may be affected.

99 Compound – Shares the same features as the 97 compound, but with slightly higher torque. These new advanced compounds improve both modulation and release. There is reduced torque rise with temperature with both 97 and 99 compound.

97 Compound – Has a bite slightly higher than 90 compound. Cold bite comes in at 250 degrees and has a moderate flat torque curve. With the flat torque curve the driver now has the ability to turn the steering wheel in the corner while braking. This compound also releases faster than all of the other above-mentioned compounds.

93 Compound – 93 was developed as the next step after 83. The improvements are better release characteristics, great improvement for trailing into a corner or modulation at threshold braking. Kinder to discs. 93 comes on quicker and has flatter torque curve. But, be careful without finesse you can over slow the car. When it comes to ultimate performance with finesse, this is second to none. Cold bite comes in at 250-275 degrees and has an effective torque curve over 1200 degrees.

90 Compound – 90 was developed at the same time as 93 and is very similar with lower torque output. It also has a higher wear rate under severe service. This pad gives three times the pad and rotor life, ultimate torque close to 93. Its modulation characteristics also make it forgiving. Cold bite comes in at 100 degrees and has an effective torque curve over 1000 degrees.

83 Compound – This material has super high torque and gives a firm pedal feel. 83 require finesse. Under sever conditions, it has outstanding wear characteristics. 83’s cold bite also comes in at 400 degrees and has an effective torque curve over 1500 degrees.

80 Compound – 80 is the lowest friction. It has very good wear characteristics and is more rotor friendly than 83. It is more suitable and therefore a favorite for many applications where pedal modulation is difficult or chassis set up or driver development brake balance or others require a more forgiving pad. Cold bite comes in at 350 degrees and has an effective torque curve to over 1000 degrees.

Z Rated Performance Street – The highest friction brake pad available for street vehicles. This is designed for customers who demand ultra high performance braking with low wear, rotor compatibility and fade resistance.

CARBOTECH PANTHER XP10 (1110): For 2004, Carbotech unleashes Panther XP10 (compound 1110). This is an *extremely* high initial bite material, with a friction coefficient well above .6. Fade resistance is in excess of 1600F. Due to the high level of friction and bite, this material is recommended *ONLY* for cars in excess of 2600lbs using R-compound race tires or slicks (SCCA T1, T2, A Sedan, GT1, Trans-Am, Speed GT, etc.). On these heavier cars, 1110 still maintains the excellent modulation that has made the Panther-series of brake pads so popular. It is not recommended to drive this compound on the street or on the track with street tires due to the tendency to easily lock a lower-grip street tire with very little effort due to the high friction coefficient of this material. Note: Compound #1110 is more rotor aggressive than any other 1100-series compound.

CARBOTECH PANTHER XP9 (1109): Another iteration of our successful Panther compound series, 1109 offers even higher initial bite, higher friction coefficient (.6+), and higher fade resistance (1400+F) than 1108 compound, yet still maintains the rotor friendliness and streetability that has made the ceramic-metallic based Panther line so popular. This compound is intended for expert - instructor level HPDE drivers as well as upper level regional and national road-racing (ITA, ITS, Spec Miata, SSC, SSB, FF Cobra, etc) Panther XP9 has already won multiple SCCA regional and national championships in 2003, its first year of release. Not recommended as a daily-driving street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.**

CARBOTECH PANTHER XP8 (1108): A high torque brake compound with a wide operating temperature range (250F to 1350F). Outstanding initial bite at race temperatures, high coefficient of friction (0.58-0.60), excellent modulation and release characteristics, extremely high fade resistance, very rotor friendly and excellent wear rates. Excellent for ITA, ITB, Spec-RX7, etc race cars. Perfect for intermediate - advanced track/HPED use with R-compound tires, but still can be easily driven to and from the track. Not recommended as a daily-driving street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.*

CARBOTECH PANTHER PLUS (1106): A high torque brake compound delivering reliable and consistent performance over a very wide operating temperature range (150F to 1250F). Advanced compound matrix provides an excellent initial "bite", high coefficient of friction (0.54-0.56), and very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. Panther Plus offers high fade resistance, rotor friendliness at all temperatures, and excellent cold stopping power. As a result, Panther Plus is an excellent choice for beginner-novice lapping day and high performance driver's schools on street driven cars using street or R-compound tires, eliminating the need to change brake pads at the track. Panther Plus has gained tremendous popularity with SCCA Prosolo/Solo2 competitors for its fantastic bite and modulation. In addition, Panther Plus has seen great success as a race-only pad on lighter improved touring and vintage race cars (ITC, etc).**Not recommended as a daily-driving street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.**

Carbotech Bobcat (1521) :Carbotech Bobcat (1521), the much anticipated replacement for our heralded Super Street F. Like our Panther line of compounds, Bobcat is a ceramic based friction material offering practically zero rotor damage. Bobcat offers outstanding performance when cold, very low dusting, and low noise with an excellent initial bite. Friction coefficient is .45 over it’s operating range of ambient temp to 900F. Bobcat is suitable for street, SCCA Solo 2 and Prosolo applications. Bobcat is not recommended for on-track driving schools or club racing.

CARBOTECH KELATED METALLIC GREEN 913A D.O.T.-approved high-performance compound, Carbotech Kelated Metallic (CKM) achieves a very high coefficient of friction (approx. 0.48 to 0.50) by taking advantage of a chemical reaction within the friction mass, which creates a tri-alloy metallic film at the liner/drum interface when subjected to heat and pressure.

Designed to overcome the shortcomings of other liner materials, CKM is very versatile and provides excellent braking performance in a wide variety of applications.

Excellent wear characteristics and a very high resistance to lock-up under hard braking

Optimal recommended operating temperature range is from ambient to 750F

All our pads are R90 compliant and go through extensive research, development and road testing to guarantee safe, controlled and consistent braking.

Ferodo Target top

More material formulations than any other aftermarket parts programme

92% car parc coverage

Regulation 90 approved

Brand name you can trust for safety and quality

All manufactured at Federal Mogul's own ISO quality approved factories

Full complimentary range of brake accessory kits available

Ferodo Premier is the only range of brake pads in the market that matches OE specification materials for every application.

Ferodo Premier topA full OE specification range of brake pads and shoesFerodo is the only manufacturer to offer a range individually tailored to match every vehicle's braking system characteristics precisely

DS3000DS3000 is Ferodo's premium racing compound and has set the standard across circuit racing and the World Rally Championship. DS3000 has contributed to countless wins and podium positions in the WRC, BTCC, STW and is now experiencing major success in Indycar and NASCAR applications.

The main characteristics of the DS3000 compound are:

reduced bedding in time (approximately 50% quicker than other materials)

extremely high friction level (0,62 coefficient of friction) at any temperature or speed

higher initial bite

predictability, in all conditions, when braking into the corner because of the flat friction curve

Here are some interesting article & infor on this subjects. Happy reading

Model CodesEach Evolution model had a different 4-digit start of the chassis number [the V and VI were the same, CP9A, VII, VII GT-A and VIII were also identical, they used CT9A - see Technical Specification for the full list].

There is also a model number to distinguish between the GSR and RS. The tables below show the meaning of each digit [example is an Evo VI TME GSR]:

What's the difference between the GSR and RS?The Evo I to III RS and GSR employ the same gearbox. The later Evo's are however, different. The GSR box has longer gearing.

The RS Model hasn't got ABS or AYC and the car is between 70kg and 100kg lighter [dependant on model - see Technical Specification] due to lighter panels and lightweight window glass. Although weight could be reduced further on the RS model by opting for the thinner gauge body, or by asking for a car minus the aerodynamic appendages.

There are a few more technical differences. These are:

Option of twin-plate clutch [from the 1996 Evolution IV]TD05HRA-16G6-10.5T titanium turbocharger was employed on the Evolution VI onwardsRS has closer gearing for better acceleration. But top speed is between 125mph and 150mph depending on model.RS's 0-60 is a fraction faster than the GSR timesThe RS also has a quicker steering rack, 2.1 max turns [2.3 on the GSR]Option of either a normal open front diff or a helical gear Limited Slip Diff ['worm gear' type]Rear differential is a mechanical LSD

There are a few cosmetic differences also. These are:

The RS has black door handles and wing mirrorsThe RS has no rear wash wiperThe RS has no front fog lamps**In some cases the wheels are 15" steels [it was option to have GSR wheels]The RS has no Climate Control, electric windows or mirrors; the seats are slightly differentThe RS is available in Scotia White onlySmaller leather Momo steering wheel [365mm] with no airbagNo central locking and no radio-type keyless entry system

** For the GSR models that have foglights, the RS bumper is the same but has the spaces blanked out with covers

As for refinement, the GSR is the more refined of the two. It has all the extras you would find in any saloon car such as climate control, electric windows, electric mirrors, Alloy wheels etc.

The RS seats are more like the traditional bucket seats used in competition cars. Rally teams don't want climate control, nice seats, alloy wheels, ABS etc. as they would just have to ditch it all and replace it for high specification rally items or lose most of the equipment completely to save weight. The RS is a popular car with Group N teams.

The RS is a cheaper car, so if you were thinking of using the Evo a few times a month for a blast and for track days then the RS would seem a better option. But, if you are planning on driving the car frequently and like your luxuries then don't even consider the RS.

Other Evolution ModelsOK, so you are clued about on the GSR, RS, but there are other Evo's you need to be aware of. From the 1992 Evo to 1996 Evo IV there were just the standard two models; The GSR and RS. The differences between these models are covered above.

There are some other models for the Evo V, VI, VII, VIII, VIII MR and IX. After the arrival of the Evolution V in 1998, the Evo model became a cult icon in the UK. Ralliart began to import the Evolution V and the Evolution VI. With years of knowledge and experience behind them, Ralliart began to experiment with the Evolution.

Below is some basic information on these extra special Evo's.

Evolution V/VI RS450 - UK ModelThe RS450 upgrade was only fitted to the Evo VI. Although one Evo V RS did have the conversion done [white one featured in some magazines]. There were only 4 or 5 all based on eXtremes, and were based on the RSII, not an RS. So, air con, long gearing but no AYC or ABS. AP brakes were fitted to most of them but it wasn't mandatory and some had 4pot fronts with Brembo rears while the better option was 6pot front/4pot rear.

Why was it named the RS450? That was the torque figure they aimed for but never achieved. One has been measured [rolling roaded] at 383lbs/ft with 379bhp. 0-100 appears in just 8.8 seconds. A psychotic car! Ralliart also reckon 0-60 will appear in under 4 seconds. The original price tag was £44,000! Rare as rocking horse s**t! I have never seen one in the flesh. All the customer cars were mapped conservatively to make sure that none exploded - which they didn't! More aggressive mapping would get much nearer to the aimed 450lbs/ft.

Evolution VI/VII RSII - European ModelsThe RSII is a cross between a GSR and RS. From the Evo VI onwards there is also an RSII version that sits in the middle ground between the RS and GSR but is basically an RS with some added GSR equipment. The RS and RSII is also available in LHD, the GSR is available in RHD only.

Evolution VI RSX - UK ModelIt doesn't have AYC or ABS or climate control but it does have electric windows and mirrors and has aircon. It has upgraded Recaro SR seats with more thigh support than the standard GSR. It has the standard GSR gearbox but also has the Torsen front diff.

It also has a big 16G titanium turbo. This is the same turbo as the GSR but with a titanium shaft and turbo wheel and it isn't the same as the small titanium unit used on the Makinen editions. Some of the RSX's have had ARP conrod bolts put in but even Ralliart can't tell you which ones have and which ones haven't!!!

It also has a modified ECU to take account of the fact that there is no ABS and AYC. As a result of all this it weighs 1280kgs, which is approximately 80kgs less than the GSR. Due to the lighter weight it is supposedly slightly quicker to 60 but you're only talking tenths of seconds.

Evolution VI Tommi Makinen RS Monte Carlo - UK ModelThe "Monte" is a Ralliart tuned Evo VI Tommi Makinen RS that produces a healthy 320bhp. Modifications include a Ralliart ECU, ARP conrod bolts, HKS exhaust system and HKS air filter. The front seats are changed to a pair of Recaro Black Recliners and the normal TME badging is changed to "Monte Carlo". Only 12 of these models were produced and to date, remain one of the rarest Evo's.

Evolution VI/VII/VIII Extreme/Extreme S/Extreme SC/Zero Fighter - UK Models*Now, these are the ultimate Evo's. A few cosmetic changes, white and red colour-coding. The real deal! Not for the faint-hearted.

Head of tuning at Ralliart UK [now Xtreme Autos - See Ralliart goes "Xtreme"] Toney Cox stated that you would need a serious motorbike to keep with the Extreme [Quoted from the Mitsubishi Lancer Story DVD] I can believe him! The Evo VI Extreme can be picked up for under £25k now. A bargain! Power figures are as follows:

Evolution VII/VIII FQ-300/FQ-330 - UK ModelsThese are basically slightly tuned GSR models. Some question the price of the FQ models as an upgrade to a GSR model would be cheaper than buying an FQ model.

After driving my car for the past 8 months, I've realised that there was always this slight pause before the car starts to accelerate after I floor the throttle.

After some research online and in consultation with various tuners back in Singapore, I decided to upgrade my motor mounts to the Ralliart ones.

The garage I got this done at belongs to a friend and fellow Team Fruity member, and it took a total of 5 hours to get the old motor mounts removed, pressed out with a heavy press, and then had the new Ralliart ones installed.

Initial Impressions

The original rubber mounts were not only cracked (mine is a Dec 2005 Evo 8 MR RS), but had gone soft (though not as soft as the garage owner's 2002 Evo 7). Because of that, there was a lot of engine movement that caused power loss, but also made shifting at high rpms less accurate.

After the installation of the new mounts, the car certainly vibrates a whole lot more when idling and starting off. The vibrations that are usually absorbed by the stock bushings are now transmitted throughout the entire chassis.

Given that my car is an RS with no sound insulation anyway, this was no entirely unexpected, so moving on, I started driving the car.

And was completely blown away.

Shifting is completely CRISP, even better than (dare I say it) an S2000 (*gasp*). on full throttle, shifting at 7000 rpm, there is no hesitance for the engine to start pulling, and shifts engage even sharper than a bolt-action rifle. Every movement of the foot is IMMEDIATELY translated into forward movement, no pause, and everything just feels TIGHT.

For those of you running 6-speed gearboxes, upgrading your engine mounts will practically get you the same shifting precision as the 5-speed gearbox and cut out any vagueness or mushiness from the shifter.

Other benefits

Judging from how the engine and transmission are now relating to each other, I very much suspect that these mounts will actually prolong the durability of the clutch, the drivetrain and the engine. Why? With the stock mounts, under heavy engine load, the engine and drivetrain move out of alignment. When this happens, not only are you losing power, but the misalignment is (probably) not good in the long term for the parts that connect the engine to the drivetrain, and I suspect this will also prolong clutch life since the feel of the biting point is also significantly enhanced.

Alternatives

Research on the internet has revealed that there are engine mounts from Agency Power, Avid Racing and other vendors. Some Evo owners I know have tried these and found them to be too hardcore for daily use. The Ralliart ones came highly recommended as they do not rattle your interior to bits along with tooth fillings.

People who can bear with a bit more vibration coming into the cabin at idle, people who want to be to shift quickly at high rpms, people who want a PRECISE shifter feel, people who want to cut out the lag that comes as the result of engine movement under load. People who want better engine responsiveness.

Clearly, the crew at Fast Track will offer a preferential rate to Team Fruity members.

In the next few weeks, I'll work out a maintenance package with Fast Track @ Al Quoz for Evo owners, so keep an eye out for group buys of the usual maintenance items such as engine oil, oil filters, etc.

A network of garages will be recognized as Team Fruity affiliates because of good work done, with no commercial transactions going on.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Team Fruity has been asked on many occasions, "Why do you use a software dyno and not an actual dyno? Isn't a normal dyno more accurate?"

There are many reasons for choosing a log analyzer to compute power and torque:

Firstly, dynos, even of the same brand and model, rarely ever perform the same as each other. Depending on how the dyno is calibrated by the shop, it can either be too high or too low. That is why so many disputes arise over why one person's tune seems to be 'unusually high'

Secondly, dynos rarely are accurate on a day by day basis when they are regularly used. Regular maintenance and calibration on the part of the dyno shop is expected, but rarely adhered to. That is one reason why some dyno charts read differently from day to day on the same car.

Thirdly, dynos vary from shop to shop, there are so many brands of dynos, some measuring from the engine, others from the wheel. Some have more rolling resistance, others have less. And so on.

Fundamentally, few dynos are rarely accurate enough to measure power and torque, given the many factors that play a part in dyno accuracy. Dynos, are, at best, tools used to compute gains and impact in power and torque as a result of tuning.

By using a single consistent means of measuring performance gains from tuning, using a common software tool, no matter where tuning is done across the world, Team Fruity is able to apply a universal measure to its cars to show gains from the now-famous Banana Tune.

Thus, it does not matter whether 350 is read as bhp or whp. The ever-important factor is to study the area between the curves, to see where gains in useable power and torque have been found. Most people make the mistake of only being obsessed about peak power and torque.

That is not the JDM way.

Side note: Tonight, 1 May 2007, in a friendly race, a JDM Evo IX GT tuned and rated by Team Fruity at only 350 bhp, outran a JDM Evo IX GSR dyno'ed at over 440 bhp. Q.E.D.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

We all know the how a 20/80 mix of toluene/petrol increases 93 octane petrol to 96.4 octane, but what most people don't realize is that you can tune for toluene and get more reliable power from the car, as this chart shows:

Note: Peak boost set at 1.35bar (reason - owner is a track regular & using Evo IX Magnesium/Titanium turbo). -- of worthy mention are the gains in the USABLE POWERBAND, and not just the increase in PEAK power and torque

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Super Time Attack is popular in many countries. It provides the opportunity for drivers to get an experience in driving within a standard Race Circuit environment. Also enables to gauge the driver’s standard in their lap timing.

This Time Attack will be taking place in Sepang International Circuit on a weekend. With all other highlights taking in place, this day event will create an eventful and unforgettable day for all participants.

There will be a practice for all drivers during the morning half of the event. Followed by the actual race during the afternoon. Drivers will be running 4 laps each with a warming-up in the first lap, 2-attemp of actual fast laps and ends will a cooling-down in the last lap. Before the end of the day, there will be a 3 laps challenge among all participants. A max of 30 cars per group, and first 10 cars will be entitled for the final challenge.

Banana's car running the Super Time Attack and coming in 2nd in the Turbocharged division

Calvin driving the Evo VII MR RS back from lunchMoosa getting ready for a long night of tuning. Started at 10.30 pm, ended at 6.30 am!A very pleased Tom and a very pleased Calvin on the last day of the tune.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Between 6th to 8th April 2007, The Banana will be flying in to Dubai for a tuning session to formally kick off the UAE chapter of Team Fruity.

Equipped with his trusty notebook and Innovate wideband O2 kit, 4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions ranging from stock to the only Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR RS in the Gulf region will be tuned for street and track. A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX will be specially tuned with multiple MIVEC maps to allow optimal performance in a multitude of environments.

Already, the Evolution VIII MR RS has been tuned remotely, bringing power up from a stock 250 whp under a setup consisting of 3" TBE, Walbro GSS342 255lph fuel pump, open element filter) and to a staggering 342 whp and over 340 lb/ft wtq (with the addition of HKS 272 cams). And that's just with the stock 9.8T turbocharger!

Team Fruity cars are benchmarked using DataLogLab, a leading data analysis tool used in the tuning process, from which power and torque curves are generated, and providing a consistent methodology for power and torque graph generation across the Team Fruity network.